Help with Alaska cruise

My wife and I are looking at taking an Alaskan cruise next year. We are in
our mid 30's and have only cruised once before on our honeymoon. We did
RCI's Vision of the Seas through the Panama Canal in October of 2001 and
enjoyed it very much. We will probably try to take the cruise in May or
early June or a late September one so we can try to avoid all of the family
vacations. It's not that I don't like children, I just prefer well behaved
ones (or better yet, well behaved parents).

Since we liked RCI, they are in the running. I'd like to ask for opinions
of other cruise lines that you think we might enjoy and potential
itineraries. We already plan on getting a balcony room since we had one for
Panama and liked the fact that we could have our own private views if we
preferred.

Any and all info is appreciated. If you need any more info from me, please
ask.

Thanks,
Ray

----------------------------------------------------------------
Captain Jack will get you high tonight
And take you to his special island
Captain Jack will get you by tonight
Just a little push and you'll be smilin'

Billy Joel -- Captain Jack
----------------------------------------------------------------

I'm in the process of doing the same thing! but we have a 10 yr old so
we'll be going end of august.

I'm debating between a RT Vancouver which we did last time or heading up and
doing a southbound. Other then sitka the ports are the same, but one gives
you the opportunity to explore vancouver nad victoria, the other fairbanks
and anchorage

online it looks like the HAL ships are just about sold out, wiht some
availability on celebrity and rci. no princess ships came up on my search.
last 2 weeks of august, southbound.

be interesting to hear opinions.


--
Sheree

"Ray M" wrote in message
link.net...
My wife and I are looking at taking an Alaskan cruise next year. We are
in
our mid 30's and have only cruised once before on our honeymoon. We did
RCI's Vision of the Seas through the Panama Canal in October of 2001 and
enjoyed it very much. We will probably try to take the cruise in May or
early June or a late September one so we can try to avoid all of the
family
vacations. It's not that I don't like children, I just prefer well
behaved
ones (or better yet, well behaved parents).

Since we liked RCI, they are in the running. I'd like to ask for opinions
of other cruise lines that you think we might enjoy and potential
itineraries. We already plan on getting a balcony room since we had one
for
Panama and liked the fact that we could have our own private views if we
preferred.

Any and all info is appreciated. If you need any more info from me,
please
ask.

Thanks,
Ray

----------------------------------------------------------------
Captain Jack will get you high tonight
And take you to his special island
Captain Jack will get you by tonight
Just a little push and you'll be smilin'

Billy Joel -- Captain Jack
----------------------------------------------------------------

Sheree, we were on the Summit last year (early August) with my two kids, who
were then 9 and 11. We went northbound from Vancouver and did interior touring
on our own afterward, but you can go south on alternate weeks. Activities for
the kids were typically well-run and plentiful, and the ship was excellent. I'd
recommend it highly. Both of my kids, who have now cruised four times,
including on a Voyager class ship, say this one was their favorite. It
certainly ranks as one of mine.

~ Peri

sheree wrote:
I'm in the process of doing the same thing! but we have a 10 yr old so
we'll be going end of august.

I'm debating between a RT Vancouver which we did last time or heading up and
doing a southbound. Other then sitka the ports are the same, but one gives
you the opportunity to explore vancouver nad victoria, the other fairbanks
and anchorage

online it looks like the HAL ships are just about sold out, wiht some
availability on celebrity and rci. no princess ships came up on my search.
last 2 weeks of august, southbound.

be interesting to hear opinions.

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 11:45:12 GMT, "sheree"
wrote:

online it looks like the HAL ships are just about sold out, wiht some
availability on celebrity and rci. no princess ships came up on my search.
last 2 weeks of august, southbound.

Hi Sheree,

You should check with your travel agent. These ships are no where
near sold out for next year. The "online" information is often
incorrect as in this case if they say this.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com

not the entire ship, just several categories. right now I'm in the research
stage, once i know what we want to do, I'll have the TA's I've done business
with check for groups space etc

thanks!

--
Sheree
Join us on the SGC Bermuda!
http://hometown.aol.com/sgc2003
"Ray Goldenberg" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 11:45:12 GMT, "sheree"
wrote:

online it looks like the HAL ships are just about sold out, wiht some
availability on celebrity and rci. no princess ships came up on my
search.
last 2 weeks of august, southbound.

Hi Sheree,

You should check with your travel agent. These ships are no where
near sold out for next year. The "online" information is often
incorrect as in this case if they say this.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com

Ray,

Although May/Sept shoulder season cruise & air rates will be better, and
while there are certain travelers who particularly enjoy the early/late Alaska
trip, I think most will agree that conditions are more favorable for maximum
enjoyment in June, July and August. So IMHO, I'd definitely be looking at
that early June time frame you have in mind, and truly, I wouldn't rule out
the balance of June, July or August just on the grounds of kid avoidance.
While family cruising is becoming more popular in Alaska than ever before,
there won't be quite so many kids onboard as you may have heard others talk
about on the usual Caribbean cruise, and without the pool scene (well, there
will be a few polar bear club members!), they're just not in your face like
they are on tropical cruises. Also, considering the long and busy port days
in Alaska, you don't even have to think about running into kids that much
except on the 2-3 At Sea days, and then, most of them will likely be involved
in the kids' program or some other activity.... Of course, I have children,
so I probably see the ship's crowd differently than those of you traveling
sans kids, but I simply don't recall kids being a significant factor when
we did Alaska (in July 02).

One Alaska cruise-planning tip that I don't see get mentioned enough is shooting
for a Monday-Monday (or other non-weekend) itinerary. Alaska is saturated
with ships, and with the majority doing weekend-weekend runs, you will encounter
a lot of ships in any given port. These towns are tiny, in terms of both
geography and population. It is amazing how the descent of thousands of cruise
pax all at one time can change your experience, not to mention play havoc
with your ability to get the excursions you want at the time you want. Contrast,
when we cruised Mon-Mon, we were the only ship in port one day, and the other
days, we shared the town with just a couple of ships. Local services weren't
overtaxed, and the residents were in a good mood, able to enjoy visiting
with their guests.

When selecting a balcony, think about choosing one that offers the most protection
from the elements. Some balconies are inset into the hull, offering max protection.
Others hang off the ship with no roof overhead, offering the least protection.
With wind and rain being factors you must prepare for in Alaska, it's wise
to factor "sheltered balcony" into your research. We used our balcony a lot,
and I do highly recommend one for Alaska. I'm an inclement weather weenie--I
definitely would have missed what Alaska is all about if I had not had the
balcony and thus been forced to sit out in the open up on the decks to watch
the scenery, wildlife on shore and marine life. I just wouldn't have done
that.

The point of Alaska is Alaska--unlike any other cruise we've been on, what
totally made that trip was our pre- and post-cruise land adventures, our
port stops and our viewing of the incomparable natural wonders as we cruised.
While we loved the Dawn Princess, both the ship and the Princess cruise product,
I have to say that the ship/line ended up being a secondary factor on that
cruise, more of a mode of transporation. So, IIWM, I'd focus first on itinerary,
itinerary, itinerary...then choose among the ships doing your dream itinerary.
There will be plenty of nice options. You'll have to decide whether to cruise
round-trip or one-way. If you can put more days on your journey on the theory,
"as long as I'm going this far and spending this much money, I should see
it all," then definitely, do a one-way and see some interior Alaska, as well
as the Vancouver/Pac NW area. If you are time- or budget-limited to a week,
then I'd say shoot for either a one-way or a round-trip that gets you into
Glacier Bay National Park, which is generally considered the best of all
glacier viewing. Not all ships go there (the NPS limits entry to a certain
number/day/season). Don't be persuaded against the one-way itinerary on the
assumption that the open-jaw air required will be more expensive. It's not
always more expensive!! And if you are using FF miles to make this trip,
FF miles will usually cover that open-jaw.

If you are independent travelers, excursions in port & the interior exploration
of Alaska can readily be done on your own vs. through a cruise-line package.
It just requires more research on your part. The best online resource for
current Alaska cruise planning info, IMHO, is the Alaska discussion board
at http://www.cruisecritic.com

That's my two cents. You'll get a lot of opinions. Figure out what works
best for you. I know before we did Alaska, every cruiser we met said, "You
have to do Alaska!" Now, I know why. It's an incredibly special, memorable
place.

Happy researching!

Diana Ball
near Houston, TX
http://www.dianaball.net

NCL Sea - W. Carib - Holidays 99
RCI Explorer - E. Carib - Holidays 00
RCI Rhapsody - W. Carib - Holidays 01 (back-to-back)
NCL Star - Hawaii - June 02
Dawn Princess - Alaska - July 02
Star Princess - Mex Riviera - Holidays 02
RCI Serenade – Transatlantic 08/03 (maiden voyage)
RCI Mariner – E Carib – Holidays 03





"Ray M" wrote:
My wife and I are looking at taking an Alaskan cruise next year. We are
in
our mid 30's and have only cruised once before on our honeymoon. We did
RCI's Vision of the Seas through the Panama Canal in October of 2001 and
enjoyed it very much. We will probably try to take the cruise in May or
early June or a late September one so we can try to avoid all of the family
vacations. It's not that I don't like children, I just prefer well behaved
ones (or better yet, well behaved parents).

Since we liked RCI, they are in the running. I'd like to ask for opinions
of other cruise lines that you think we might enjoy and potential
itineraries. We already plan on getting a balcony room since we had one
for
Panama and liked the fact that we could have our own private views if we
preferred.

Any and all info is appreciated. If you need any more info from me, please
ask.

Thanks,
Ray

----------------------------------------------------------------
Captain Jack will get you high tonight
And take you to his special island
Captain Jack will get you by tonight
Just a little push and you'll be smilin'

Billy Joel -- Captain Jack
----------------------------------------------------------------

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 03:41:49 GMT, "Ray M"
wrote:

My wife and I are looking at taking an Alaskan cruise next year. We are in
our mid 30's and have only cruised once before on our honeymoon. We did
RCI's Vision of the Seas through the Panama Canal in October of 2001 and
enjoyed it very much. We will probably try to take the cruise in May or
early June or a late September one so we can try to avoid all of the family
vacations. It's not that I don't like children, I just prefer well behaved
ones (or better yet, well behaved parents).

Since we liked RCI, they are in the running. I'd like to ask for opinions
of other cruise lines that you think we might enjoy and potential
itineraries. We already plan on getting a balcony room since we had one for
Panama and liked the fact that we could have our own private views if we
preferred.

Take the last cruise in May, they jack the prices in June.

We took The Grand Princess (their third cruise) and loved it in May
1997. Try to get a starboard cabin, most of the scenery is on that
side.

Be sure to diet the month before. 8-)

Remove TIE to reply.

Hi Ray,

We took the Zaandam, a Holland America ship, the last week of August, round
trip from Vancouver (Sat-Sat). IMO, this is a good week to travel because
kids/parents are getting ready to go back to school, and you end up coming
home on the Labor Day weekend. We had fantastic weather, only one bad day,
and really enjoyed the service, food, and accommodations on the Zaandam. Of
course, this was our first cruise so we had nothing to compare it to but we
really enjoyed it.

The ports were crowded, 4-5 ships in at the same time as we were, but since
we were gone on shore excursions, the crowds didn't bother us. We found
that waiting until after the shore excursion the stores and streets were not
crowded.

Also, make sure you look at where you will cruise. Seattle cruises go
further out to sea, Inner Passage (at least on the Zaandam) was in the inner
straits, where you can see beautiful scenery and some wildlife.

We had a balcony and used it constantly. It was nice just to sit and relax
without being in a crowd.

Celeste

"Ray M" wrote in message
link.net...
My wife and I are looking at taking an Alaskan cruise next year. We are
in
our mid 30's and have only cruised once before on our honeymoon. We did
RCI's Vision of the Seas through the Panama Canal in October of 2001 and
enjoyed it very much. We will probably try to take the cruise in May or
early June or a late September one so we can try to avoid all of the
family
vacations. It's not that I don't like children, I just prefer well
behaved
ones (or better yet, well behaved parents).

Since we liked RCI, they are in the running. I'd like to ask for opinions
of other cruise lines that you think we might enjoy and potential
itineraries. We already plan on getting a balcony room since we had one
for
Panama and liked the fact that we could have our own private views if we
preferred.

Any and all info is appreciated. If you need any more info from me,
please
ask.

Thanks,
Ray

----------------------------------------------------------------
Captain Jack will get you high tonight
And take you to his special island
Captain Jack will get you by tonight
Just a little push and you'll be smilin'

Billy Joel -- Captain Jack
----------------------------------------------------------------

We will probably try to take the cruise in May or
early June or a late September one so we can try to avoid all of the family
vacations

I am a many time Alaska visitor, your late Sept option has a lot of negatives.
One major point is the weather- far better ealier. My favorite time is mid to
late August. Look very closely at routes. My preference is southbound- prime
marine life, I never would consider any one way's without at least 5 days
additional interior independent. I just returned- and I ran into- far too
many people on land tours who had no idea what they purchased. Too many
purchased something they didn't want "Natural History tour" and then wanted
advise on how to change it. Some could and some couldn't. But overall Sept. is
a gamble if you don't know what you are doing. A major risk is weather- and if
Denali Park is a priority ( and it should be). The shuttle system shuts down
usually by the 12th. There are many factors that you are unaware of to
consider- so be an informed traveler. If going one way- MAKE THE MOST OF IT,
go interior and be certain to have a route you are happy with, some one ways
miss College Fjords- I would never consider it.

Other then sitka the ports are the same, but one gives
you the opportunity to explore vancouver nad victoria, the other fairbanks
and anchorage

None of the sailings give you enough time in Victoria- far better is to add a
few days and go on your own. Also with Fairbanks and Anchorage- add days and
forget a cruisetour. They don't see either city and there is so much to
consider going on your own. Very very easy to do on your own, a necessary
reference is THE MILEPOST. Try your library and look it over carefully. You
never get a good deal on a cruisetour especially with 3 people and overall all
far fewer kids.